


Spots

by Puzzl3cat



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, Eventual Romance, Fantasy, Historical Inaccuracy, M/M, Seals (Animals), Selkies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:34:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23730919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Puzzl3cat/pseuds/Puzzl3cat
Summary: A long time ago in a village by the sea, seals can be found lazing by the harbor. But not is all as it seems as some of these seals hold a secret that will change the lives of two beings and the rest of the town forever.
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! This is my first fanfiction and I really appreciate any feedback you can give! 
> 
> The stories and legends of Selkies has always been my favorite from when I was a kid so I've been playing with writing an AU about the characters in this world for a long time.
> 
> Beted by the fantastic CousinSerena

With the sun starting to set, a fishing ship from the nearby village of Seabarburgh is finishing up for the evening. Hauling the last of the nets and other various traps up onto the ship, the sailors are working overtime, and thankfully the job is almost done and they could head in. The markets would be overflowing with their catch in the morning and full of families getting what they need for supper. 

“Mother! Look at the ships!” A young seal squeaks excitedly from the nearby rocks. 

Finding safety among them his mother hums in acknowledgement. “Mind not to get too close to them, Aziraphale. They still hunt our kind.” 

Knowing that a storm is on the way but won’t arrive until later that evening , she doesn’t feel any need to shuffle her pup under the waves and to safety. She knows he’s old enough to fend for himself and hunt, but he’s her first and she’s quite excited to be able to share the secrets of their family with him. They’re what is known as selkies, their existence thought to be a mere legend among humans. 

Once a pup loses their baby fur and is able to successfully swim and hunt for themselves, they are allowed to participate in the shedding ceremony and the learning of secrets. The most important of those being in their fur and the ability to remove it as one would a shell. They’re a breed that has learned how to move among the humans by removing their pelts and returning to the sea with that same fur. 

“Oi! Everpup! Come off your rock and race with us!” calls out one of the other pups .

“No way! He’s still got his baby fur and will get us noticed by everything and anything looking for a snack!” The others laugh and swim on.

Looking from the ship to the shouting and laughter, the young seal tries as hard as he can to sink into the rock and hide. 

“That’s not fair, I can’t help it that my adult fur came in and stayed mostly white,” he responds with a whimper. 

The other seal pups had already shed their silky white fluff and had grown in their browns and greys with accompanying spots, but he had really only gained the darker spots harbour seals are known for. 

Watching the others swim off, Aziraphale turns to his mother. “Mother, am I really that different? How am I supposed to hide with a coat like this?” Understanding his frustrations, his mother scoots closer and nuzzles her son.

“Now Aziraphale, you are becoming a fine young hunter regardless of your coat pattern or color. Anyway, you won’t have to worry about that sort of thing until you are at least four years of age. Now swim off and practice with the currents some more before we retire for the night.” 

With a sigh, Aziraphale slips off the rock he was basking on and into the freezing water of the Northernmost part of the island. Unbeknownst to them, the storm was raging faster and closer than they were prepared for. 

On a large hill just on the outside of the small coastal town, there is a manor and a family. Lord Crowley owns the fishing and shipping company and oversees the loading of cargo onto the newly tracked train station in town. While he is not a cruel father, he is an absent one. Watching from the window as his father yet again enters a carriage to take him to the docks of their small village, his young son and heir Anthony begins to whine. 

“Do I have to be in charge someday, mummy? I don’t want to be lord or whatever.” 

Sensing her son is about to fashion a pout, she leans over and holds him close. “Whyever not, Anthony? I thought you enjoyed learning all about the business with your father.” 

Giving a great huff, Anthony turns around in his mother's arms. “Mummy, why do we need to sell the fish? Why can’t we just give it away to the hungry people?” 

Chuckling, his mother lifts him up and carries him to their favorite reading chair. “Always with the questions, Tony. Why don’t I tell you a story from when I was a little girl?” 

Reaching for a dusty tome set on the small table next to the chair, she maneuvers her son into a more comfortable position. 

“This is a story about creatures called Selkies. They’re creatures that take the form of both seals and humans. They can shed their fur like coats and join humans on land without us even knowing.” Giving pause, she chances a look at her inquisitive son. Staring wide eyed as only a child of four can, she continued on. 

“The legends say that if you manage to obtain the fur of a selkie, you will be brought great luck in wealth and fortune throughout life, the beast will be bound to you and most become wives or husbands bearing children for their captor. You must keep the pelt locked away for if they find it, back to the sea they return. Never to return again.” 

Just as she finished her story, a huge crash of thunder shakes the windows of the manor. Clinging to his mother young Anthony Crowley held tight and hid from the sudden noise of the storm. 

“Oh I hope your father is all right out in this weather.”

Huge waves crashed against the rocks and shore that lined the small fishing village of Seabarburgh. Rocking the boats already moored in port, the waves have no mercy for those still at sea. Underneath the waves the water is continuously being churned and it begins to disorient even the strongest of seal swimmers. 

Swimming as fast as he can in the rough waters, Aziraphale starts to lose sight of his rock outcrop and his mother. Berating himself for getting distracted and having lost track of time, he continues to fight the storm. 

“Mother! Mother!” His shouting can’t be heard from how far the storm has caused him to drift and he doesn’t notice how close to the ship he’s been dragged. With another huge crash of waves, young Aziraphale is knocked from the impact and slowly drifts off.


	2. Chapter 2

Early morning and the market is bustling with both shoppers and the returned fisherman from the night before, the only difference is that instead of scrutinizing the latest catch for sale, there is a small group of townspeople forming around a few of the sailors and a small bundle of netting.

“We don’t know how he got there or where he came from, but sure enough once the storm passed and we pulled up the netting we lost, there was this little boy unconscious and tangled up.” One of the sailors explained. “The poor thing can’t be more than four or five, and to be out in these waters without any clothes on ... I hope he’s alright. Has anyone called the good doctor Cane?”

As if on cue, the doctor’s young son came running up to them with the doctor Alistair Cane. “Ah Gabriel, are you and your father here about the boy?” One of the sailors asked. Looking to be about ten years old, the young Gabriel smiles with self-importance.

“Yes, father has entrusted me to make sure he is taken care of and looked after. He also said to send word and see if anyone is missing him.” Looking up, Gabriel sees that his dad is smiling and nodding.

Helping the sailors untangle the boy and wrapping him up in some cloth one of the townspeople found, Gabriel and his father carried the small boy back towards the cottage where both the clinic and his father resided. If anyone could help the kid, it was his dad.

Opening his eyes seemed like the hardest thing he has ever done. Focusing and getting used to the bright light, Aziraphale takes in the new world around him. This isn’t home, he’s not quite sure where home is, but he does know this isn’t it. All he can remember is that his name is Aziraphale and that he wants his mum.

“Help!” Aziraphale manages to rasp out, “Mother, where are you?”

Hearing his cries for help, the doctor comes shuffling in.

“There you are little one, you gave us quite a scare there for a few days. Gabriel! Please bring a washcloth and warm water.” Watching with wide eyes, Aziraphale tries his best to keep calm but everything is just so big and scary to him. Gabriel brings in a dish from the kitchen and helps blot the young boy’s forehead.

“Can you tell us your name, little one?” The doctor asks quietly.

Aziraphale catches his eyes and nods slowly. Something feels wrong about the action. Something feels wrong about his whole body, but he just can’t remember what.

“I am called Aziraphale, I don’t remember anything but my name. Please, have you seen my mummy?”  He doesn’t remember what she looks like, he realizes, but he remembers her voice. She told him stories, but he can’t remember what they were. She taught him everything he knows, but now it seems like she’s gone forever.  Tears begin to well up in his eyes, but he wants to appear brave, he quickly wipes them away. Seeing this the doctor calmly reaches over and places a hand over his small shoulder.

“Don’t you worry Aziraphale, we will take care of you until we can find out where you came from and help find your mother. Now, you must be hungry. What would you like to eat?”

Moving from the window to the front hallway, Anthony can’t stop pacing. His father comes home today, and he’s been looking forward to seeing if father brought him a new toy or something exciting to pass the time. It’s been only a few days but a trip to the city means different scenery, people, and experiences.  His father has adventures out in the big world. All Anthony wants is to do the same one day. He wants to escape the small town, full of questions, and return full of answers.

“Tony calm down,” His mother chuckles from the sitting room. 

She’s been trying to teach her son to read but as usual he is too wound up with excitement for both his father’s return and for whatever news of the outside world he might also bring. She knows her son is bright and will eventually be sent to boarding school only to return in the summers, but for now she’s content with just having him close every day. Hearing the front door open and her son’s excited shouts, she can only sit back and relax waiting her turn with her husband. Once Tony is satiated, she can hear soft footsteps behind her. Expecting his arms to wrap around her shoulders in an expected embrace, she is instead surprised with something soft and fluffy instead.

“It’s a shawl made from fresh seal’s fur. The shopkeeper and tailor said they had never seen a fur in this color or with such softness before. It’s one of a kind and was selected specially for you, my wife.” Her husband whispers softly in her ear. The shawl is thick with the fluffy fur and is not quite grey like others she has seen. The spots are the same, but the fur is almost white. She’s only really seen this color on the seal pups that sometimes can be found near the docks of the village.

“Mummy! Look! Father brought me back a book on hordicorchur!” hearing the excited shouting she turns to see her son bounding into the room and landing near his father’s legs. Laughing and ruffling his hair, his father corrects him,

“Son, that’s horticulture. It’s the study of plants. I know how you like to help in the gardens and secretly keep plants in your room. We can help you read it.” Helping his wife up and leading his son along, he leads his family to the dining room where their supper would be brought out to them. After all the members of his small family has been served, he turns to his wife,

“Have you heard; the good doctor Cane has taken in another child that’s been abandoned. Apparently the young boy, no more than four or five, was tossed overboard a ship and was left to die in the storm. He only remembers his name, so he must have had a difficult journey. It’s a miracle he got tangled up in some local fishermen’s nets.” His wife gasps and makes a quick look at her own son,

“I cannot imagine what the poor dear has been through, losing everything at such a young age. Do they have any idea where he’s come from or who it was that might have tossed him?” Mr. Crowley hums at this and continues,

“They’ve sent word to every village from here to London about the boy but even by train the word will take a while to travel. I’m sure it will be in the papers; the doctor might even offer a reward for any kind of information someone might have. It’s a serious crime to toss anyone overboard. Let’s be grateful that our son won’t have to suffer a similar fate.”


End file.
